Stuck
by Ileana Mackenzie Collins
Summary: "Her name is Mary," he replied, looking at her straight in the eyes, dead serious that Barbara's heart quickened, "And she's your daughter."
1. Prologue

"Come on, Gray, hurry up!" the younger called to the older sister from the staircase.

After some rapid typing, the redheaded girl unplugged the smart phone from the computer and hurriedly headed down to her sister.

The two, anxious and excited, ran side by side to their waiting mother at the front door.

Gray handed the phone to the waiting hand. "I set up a signal router using the Wayne Tech satellite so that the four of us can video call each other anywhere, at the same time."

"Private line?" their father asked, coming from the Lexus in the driveway.

"Of course!" the 14 year old replied, a proud student of coding and occasionally, hacking, "I set a silent anti-tapping rootkit, that I wrote myself, in each of the firewalls."

A signature smirk graced Dick Grayson's lips. "That's my girl. Didn't doubt you could," he sincerely commented, wrapping his eldest in a crushing hug.

"I'm gonna miss you, Dad," she whispered in his ear, feeling tears starting to prick her eyes, "I'm gonna miss you both."

Dick pulled back and planted a kiss on her head. "I'm going to miss you too, Mary."

Eventually, the sisters ended up in their mother's arms. "It's only going to be four months. We'll be back before you know it. Okay?"

The younger, ebony haired girl quickly wiped a few stray tears, earning herself a chuckle and another hug from Barbara. "Hey. Jamie, it's going to be fine," she cooed, then stood up, "Your uncle Tim will be with you both, for the meantime. Steph and aunt Cassie could also visit from California with aunt Artemis and the twins. It _is _summer. Right?" She asked the space behind the girls.

As if out of nowhere, Tim appeared behind them, but the girls, used to the ninja antics from both their parents, no longer jumped in surprise. "Of course. You guys could teach Steph to say your names." Gray and Jamie smiled in satisfaction. What an opportunity.

A final word passed between the brothers - "Hey, I don't want to hear any _incidents _about you and Damian while you're in Gotham," "...I'm not promising anything, Dick." - then the couple headed for the car.

With one final wave of goodbye, they drove off, already late for the pilot's call time.

Little did any of them know that time won't be of the essence much, very soon.


	2. Getting Shot

**You know this, INSERT DISCLAIMER. **

|Gotham City  
>June 23, 4:33 pm<br>**20 YEARS LATER**

"Is it weird that...you know, that Mom and Dad are gone?" Jamie asked out of the blue.

Gray took a sip of her useless caffeinated frappe before replying, "Not really? I mean, I feel the same. I guess, it's because the longest they've been away together is...2 weeks? Not including this _business trip_ in Russia. I mean, do they really have to spend _four _months just to do some co-branding with Rossi InnoTech."

Her sister shrugged, nonchalantly agreeing. "True. It's so not asterous that they're gonna miss the _entire _summer. No competitive beach volleyball and Greece! Ooh, and no drag racing in Grandad's backyard!"

"Jamie!" the bartender called her name and she came forward for her drink, placing the receipt on the scanner.

"Are you sure you want to go to Greece because it's the place ever," Gray teased, as they exited the cafe, "or because of a certain Grecian?"

Jamie's lips quirked up uncontrollably. Still, she denied the crush. "What now?"

Suddenly, 2 speeding bullets silenced the oncoming laughter from Gray and wiped the smile off Jamie's face.

Nothing filled the sisters' minds but pain like no other. It didn't surpass the horrible moments of nearly losing their mother or finding out that their father's been hospitalized or when their beloved maternal Grandpa said his final goodbye. It reminded them of few times they've been violently held for ransom, at a young age.

Because it was when all hope was drained from their faces. The only difference now is that there's no hero to save them.


	3. An Impulse

**This is a fanfiction site. Are disclaimers really necessary? Also, ignore the time in the first chapter. Thinking and calculating about it confused me.**

|Gotham Public Library  
>June 23<br>**20 YEARS EARLIER**

Barbara tapped her pen on the desk. Today was boring, to say the least. Dick was supposed to meet her about an hour ago at the library to help her with college applications.

Obviously, he's a no show. Only sending an automated text as an apology.

A burst of anger and annoyance flamed inside her. It's the third - or is it the fourth? - time Barbara invited her best friend to hang out. Three, or four declines and counting. They haven't seen each other for weeks now. And given how close they are and what they've been through, it's unusual for the two to go on without the occasional rooftop meetings and window surprises. Even her out of the blue visits to Wayne Manor and his apartment have been fruitless.

The redhead pursed her lips and tried her best to focus on the looming applications when her phone vibrated a special code.

She didn't to check it to know who's calling.

She headed to the nearest Zeta Tube.

* * *

><p>|Watchtower<br>June 23

The Team gathered in the Mission room, by order of Batman. The Dark Knight went right into it, "Earlier today, a familiar energy impulse in downtown Bludhaven caught the attention one of the League satellites." A hologram appeared beside him, showing a blinking red dot on Baylee Street.

"Energy impulse?" Bart quirked, earning a threatening glare from Batman due to the interruption.

"Greatly similar to that of Kid Flash's," the Leaguer went on, "An unidentified girl was found on the site. Given that she was bleeding to death, she was immediately brought to Hart's Hospital. According to preliminary report, she's been shot twice; one on her chest and the other on her stomach."

"Kill shots," Robin spoke. Batman gave the subtlest of nods. "She was targeted."

"Yes. She is also connected to the energy impulse. Find out how and why. This is strictly an undercover, recon mission. Report back immediately."

Then Batman's video call disconnected, leaving Aqualad to continue issuing orders. "Alpha: Miss Martian, Tigress, Robin, and Bumblebee. You will explore the crime scene, the source of this impulse. Beta: Batgirl, Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, and Wondergirl. You will check on the girl. Leaders are Robin and Batgirl, respectively. The rest are back up. Maintain your covers. We will coordinate from here."

The Team dispersed. Once receiving any and all data needed for the recon, they headed to Bludhaven.


	4. Undercover

**My previous question still stands.**

|Downtown Bludhaven  
>June 23<p>

Summer had just began and the sun was high in front of the clouds. You wouldn't think of the crime and corruption going on in 'Haven.

Alpha and Beta both went through the Zeta tubes, simultaneously and in civvies, with Miss Martian in a reporter form and Bumblebee small in size.

Alpha casually walked the streets of downtown separately but within visual and mental distance. They was an uncomfortable silence in the link, given that they're in the territory of someone they all love and miss.

_We're __nearing __the __crime __scene. _Miss Martian declared, breaking the quiet.

_Get __ready. _Robin said, pulling down the beanie to hide his hair. They _are _about to breathe the same air as media vultures and he _is _quite known for being an adopted son of Bruce Wayne.

A minute later, the ebony haired boy was one with the throng of people that gathered around the police tape, secretly hacking police and government databases on his phone. Miss M became a nosy reporter, while scouring the crowd of anyone suspicious. Tigress discreetly took pictures as much as she can and Bumblebee surveyed the scene _very _closely.

Drying blood was everywhere, in splatters and pools. And that's all that there is.

_There's __clear __signs __of __unusual __energy __from __here. _Tigress reported, reading the results from the scanner installed on her phone. _The amplitude of the energy wave, comparing to Bart's, is way higher. And it's spiked._

_That could mean, _Robin deduced, _that whatever happened here, wasn't planned._

_A time travel accident, maybe? _M'gann piped in, _Or a some sort of rip in time and space? If that's even possible. The girl was shot, right? But no one heard gunshots. No one saw a gun, or even how the girl ended up here. __  
><em>

_According to the report, the first witness left the cafe, saw the body, screamed then fainted. _Robin's eyes, hidden behind dark shades, concentrated on the phone, _That's when people stopped watching the F1 interviews and went out. Called 911. Good thing one of them was a nurse, off-duty. First responder. Helped contain the blood loss._

_Guys, _Bumblebee entered the conversation, noticing something wrong, _This much blood spilled would have killed the girl within a minute, probably before the nurse could even get to her. And, from the looks of this, there were two pools of blood, barely even touching each other. I'm no detective, but I'm pretty sure there were-_

_Two_ _people, _Robin finished for her, nearly dropping the phone with realization. _The position and velocity of the blood and the spatters, they don't coincide with each other. She-_

"She wasn't alone," a figure in the rooftop concluded.

* * *

><p>|Hart's Hospital, Bludhaven<br>June 23

Bart's fingers drummed in a dizzying speed inside the pocket of his medical garb, as thoughts whirled in his mind. Still, knowing a lot about false hopes, he tried his best not to fully entertain the possibility of other time travelers. Just yet.

"Would you please stop that?" Wonder Girl, in a nurse's attire as well, whispered before they entered the ICU.

"Excuse me, doctor," the man in the information desk called.

"Yes?" Batgirl with glasses and a tablet answered, "Is there something wrong? My anesthesiologist and I have a shift in the ICU for an hour. It's scheduled."

The man checked his computer monitor and burrowed his brows at the information. "Oh yes. I might have overlooked that, sorry. You know, I've got two shifts straight. You bringing interns in, doctor?" The attention turned to Kid Flash and Wonder Girl.

"They could use the experience," Barbara quickly reasoned, smirking, "And you, could use some sleep." With a quick laugh, he prompted them forward.

When the information desk was well out of earshot, Blue Beetle in a shaggy wig, commented, "Amiga, I guess you Bats are also masters of undercover work. You totally made it look like we belong here."

_They have _no _idea. _"Social galas and elite dinners can teach you a lot. Not just surviving hours of boredom and having to wear fancy, yet very uncomfortable, outfits." Being the Commissioner's kid and publicly known best friend of the Wayne heir has its cons.

"So, where is she?" Wondergirl asked, itching to release her hair from its hair tie.

Batgirl checked the tablet. "Room 4. First one on the right."

Bart got there 7 seconds before the others. And for the first time, he stood frozen, eyes wide in surprise and disbelief as he stared at the red headed girl unconscious in front of him.

Now may be a good time to return to those time travel thoughts.

"Uh, hermano?" Blue Beetle asked, lightly shaking his friend's stiff shoulder. No response.

A quarter of a minute passed but to the speedster, it felt like hours until he could formulate words. He took a deep breath then spoke, "I know her. From my past."

Everybody turned to him, urging him to continue. But all he mumbled was, "I can't believe it."

"Bart, who is she?" Barbara prompted, hating the suspense.

"H-her name is Mary," he replied, looking at her straight in the eyes, dead serious, "And she's your daughter."


	5. Daughter

**This space is for disclaimers. **

|Watchtower  
>June 23<p>

_Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. _Barbara, back in her shirt and pants, slowly breathed. Her heart hammered in her chest. M'gann and Artemis, also in civvies, sat beside her in the Lounge area. Understanding the situation, they remained quiet.

_Inhale. _Daughter._ Exhale. _Daughter._ Inhale. _Daughter._ Exhale. _Daughter. She leaned back and shut her tired eyes.

Just then, the lounge door opened and out came the Dynamic Duo. "So?" she asked expectedly, leaning forward on her seat. Batman's inscrutable face matched the Boy Wonder, but after years of training, Barbara knew the answer before they even replied.

"The DNA test came out positive. She's your daughter," Batman said monotonously, as if pointing out a simple, yet completely _not _disconcerting fact.

Barbara let out a breath and M'gann squeezed her shoulder. Suddenly, the Gothamite stood up. "I just...I just need some air."

Grabbing her jacket and in it, her utility belt, she exited the room, ignored the looks from the Team, and headed straight for the Zeta tubes.

* * *

><p>"Hey, this is Dick Grayson. I'm not here right now. Leave a message. Or messages if you're Babs."<p>

"Dick, it's me. Where are you? I really need to talk. So if you're avoiding me, _quit __it_. I'm just right outside your door."

* * *

><p>"Hey, this is Dick Grayson. I'm not here right now. Leave a message. Or messages if you're Babs."<p>

"Seriously, stop being such an ass! I'm waiting outside."

* * *

><p>"Hey, this is Dick Grayson. I'm not here right now. Leave a message. Or messages if you're Babs."<p>

"Don't make me use GPS on you, Dick. Or break into your apartment! I'm warning you. Just open the door. Or call me back. Or surprise me, even. Please. I have to tell you something big."

* * *

><p>"Hey, this is Dick Grayson. I'm not here right now. Leave a message. Or messages if you're Babs."<p>

"Something happened to you, Dick, since we last talked. If you would even consider it talking. I'm your best friend and I don't what the problem is and...just talk to me, please. Let's help each other out here. I'm leaving your place now. You know where to find me. Oh, and Dick, I really have to tell you something. It's-" _Beep. _Voice Mail limit. Three minutes. _Beep._

* * *

><p>|Hart's Hospital, Bludhaven<br>June 23

Sneaking into a hospital was easy. Hacking into hospital records was easier.

And now, Barbara stood before her own flesh and blood who isn't even supposed to exist yet. Reluctantly, she placed a hand on Mary's immobile one. A warm flutter filled her chest and a genuine smile crept on Barbara's face.

The girl, about thirteen or fourteen, was incredibly pale from the blood loss, adding great contrast to her vibrant auburn hair that's nearly as red as Barbara's. Laying there with tubes connected to her, seemingly asleep, she reminded the future mother of someone she knows so well.

"I wonder, why Mary?" Barbara voiced her thoughts, sitting down on the chair by the bed, hand still holding her daughter's.

**This was initially longer, I think. But my first edit somehow got erased, and I really don't like repeating things. So...**


	6. People in our Lives

**Exam week is coming up. And I'm packed with rehearsals. So updates can get very late. I'll try at least once a week, though.**

|Watchtower  
>June 23<p>

The League and the Team's senior members and Robin gathered for an assembly.

After Batman briefed the heroes present with almost all the details, they went on with their agenda. "How did you know her, Bart?" Superman questioned, sounding as if they're talking over coffee.

The boisterousness usually seen with the speedster was evidently replaced with seriousness and maturity. And yet, he didn't reply.

"Know that because of your endeavors in this time, it is likely that the world you left no longer exists," Wonder Woman added, "We need you to tell the truth in this matter. Do not be afraid of...spoiling."

"I know. And I'm not," KF clarified, taking a deep breath, "I met Mary when I ended up in Gotham. Helped her steal some fresh food from delivery craters. She wasn't one of those orphans who was all about keeping themselves alive. She was friendly, let me stay with them. We became friends and all that. But eventually, she died. That was about half a year before I traveled back."

"We're sorry to hear that, Bart," Black Canary replied after a few seconds of silence, "It sounded like she wasn't alone?"

"No. Mary had a sister; younger,"- at this, the Dynamic Duo had the subtlest of eye contacts, -"Her name's Jamie. Of course she's dead too. I think that's all the information I can give. There's clearly a lot of differences between the Mary I knew and the one in the hospital now." _Like for one, there aren't bandages around her hands with a pocket knife tucked in it._

* * *

><p>|Batcave<br>June 24

"Master Tim," Alfred appeared in his night robe from the shadows, carrying a tray of warm milk and his famous cookies, "Summer does not mean you can stay up until it's two in the bloody morning. A young man like yourself must have at least eight hours of sleep, which if I may say so, you clearly do not get."

Tim stifled a yawn, ignoring the midnight snack laid before him. "Sorry, Alfred." The apology was half hearted as the third Robin continued to focus on the big screen of the Batcomputer.

The wise old butler sighed, knowing full well the reason. "Has he contacted anyone?"

The boy slumped in his chair. "Nope. Nothing at all. I've tried GPS tracking, IP addresses and even digital footprints. But Dick knows this stuff. He just keeps bouncing off signals across different routers all over the world. It's like he doesn't want to be found."

"Have you told him?"

"Yeah, everything about it and her. He deserves to know. I just hope Bruce will hold up his end."

"We sure hope so. Knowing, I believe, is Miss Gordon's right. Will you be trying to contact Master Dick for the rest of the morning?"

Seconds later, "We can't just let him deal with this by himself, can we?"

"Of course not, Master Tim. Of course not." Alfred turned to leave. "Breakfast shall be served at eight. No excuses."

A small smile perked up in Tim's lips, but not enough to lift the growing weight on his shoulders.


	7. Secrets Buried

|Hart's Hospital, Bludhaven  
>June 27<p>

"So you think the other person who came with Mary is her sister?" Barbara asked, shutting the door behind her. The red head still didn't what to feel exactly, knowing she'll have two daughters someday.

"It's just a theory. I'll have a blood sample tested and compared in a while," Tim replied. From the other end, she could hear typing of keys. "Where are you, anyway?"

"Um, just leaving Hart's. Then I've got to go to the library for my shift."

"You know, someone will eventually notice that you're not supposed to be there."

"I know."

"...how's Mary?"

"Stable and recovering. But still no response."

"If there's anything I know about your future kid, it's that she's as strong as her mother."

Barbara chuckled, entering a bus. "Thanks, Tim. And um, when he contacts you, tell me. I'll see you in the Tower."

* * *

><p>|Central City<br>June 27

Bart clenched his eyes shut, trying to drown out the noise. Still, he could hear the laughter and clinking of plates from downstairs. Frustrated, he ran to the kitchen in superspeed. "I'm just going to Jaime's," he lied, running off before Iris had a chance to reply.

The streets, the buildings, and the people blended past him like messed up paint. Blood was pumping harder through his veins from the adrenaline. But instead of heading to El Paso, the speedster found himself at the bedside of the person that made him come back to the past in the first place.

"How're you doing, huh Mary?" Bart settled at the foot of her hospital bed.

The only response is the steady beat of the heart monitor.

"You probably haven't even met me yet. You and Jamie were born quite late in my time. Yeah, it doesn't make sense right now but I'll explain it all to you when you wake up, alright?

"I don't even know if you can hear me. I'm not even sure why I'm here." The young man, more mature than what most people think, laughed to himself. "Maybe it's guilt. Or I just need someone to understand what it feels to...just not belong. No matter how hard you try to.

"Anyway, do you like...um, cereal? The Mary I knew, she fell in love with it even if she'd only tried it twice _and _without milk."

And just like that, Bart fell into a easygoing conversation, as if rekindling a long lost friendship.

* * *

><p>|Batcave<br>June 27

"7 break-ins in the past 4 days. Nothing stolen," Robin said, reviewing the latest crime reports, "2 jewelry stores, 2 banks, a museum, and a private vault. All along the upper East Coast. No prints and signs of forced entry. Just broken firewalls and traces of amateur, yet smart security bypassing. Something's wrong here, Batman."

"The girl was found on the 23rd, the day before the unusual break-ins began."

The Boy Wonder looked up from the chair. "You think this isn't a coincidence?"

A beat later. "How's the blood analysis for the second blood pool?"

"Almost done." He took a breath before voicing his thoughts. "Maybe the time traveling _was _planned. Not by her, but by someone else. They brought her to 2016 searching for something, it seems."

The Dark Knight remained silent.

Robin put the folder of crime scene photos down. "You haven't told her, haven't you?"

No reply.

He looked at his mentor in slight annoyance. "You didn't tell Babs who the father is," he spoke accusingly.

"It's not the right time to tell her."

"Well, when is? When Wayne Tech or Star Labs are done whipping up something to return Mary to her time?!"

As if on cue, the analysis signified its end. Robin pulled up the results on the big screen. "So Mary's sister _did _come with her to 2016. Then, where is she?"

* * *

><p>|Unknown Location<p>

"How's the girl?" The question was far from concern.

The doctor looked at the still young ebony on the other side of the glass, knees hugged to her chest and silent tears falling. "She's fine, for now. If you keep on pushing her like this, her body is eventually going to go into shock and she could die!"

"That's what you're here for, doctor," the gruff voice of the white blur in the monitor bellowed, "Keep her alive and mobile until I find what I'm looking for."


	8. Familial Ties

|Unspecified Safe House  
>Moscow, Russia<br>June 27  
><strong>20 YEARS LATER<strong>

Barbara woke up gasping for air. Not because of some horrible nightmare but because she _really _couldn't get oxygen into her lungs.

It felt like she was dying.

She frantically felt for the person beside her on the bed, only to find nothing but space and ruffled next thing Barbara knew, she was on her hands and knees on the carpeted floor, this time dealing with a terrible headache. It was like someone was doing laundry with her brain.

_Didn't __think __the __vodka __here __was __this __intense, _the red head managed to think, quickly remembering their earlier undercover work at a local bar.

Suddenly a horribly familiar feeling of numbness coated her lower body. She laid herself on her back, helpless as the paralyzation she knew so well filled every nook and cranny of her body and mind.

With her final breath, Barbara convulsed and when the seizure eventually subsided, her blank, dead eyes drew to a close.

She will no longer see the world she knew and loved. For quite some time.

* * *

><p>Was she dead?<p>

* * *

><p>|Batcave<br>June 27  
><strong>20 YEARS EARLIER<strong>

Barbara rewatched the only CCTV footage of the vault robbery, taking note of the similarities with the other crimes.

The "robbers" entered through the back door without having to touch the knob or figure out the code for the lock. The two black clad men easily wove their way through the Carson Labs building without tripping any alarms or motion sensors.

After an elevator ride, they headed straight for Ms. Carson, the current CEO's office. All the wall cameras were disabled by that time, leaving a hidden camera built into a picture frame to record the whole break in.

A secret wall panel broke away, revealing a five by seven foot vault. One of the men put a finger to his ear, meaning a com._Talking __to __their outside hacker__, _Barbara noted.

Proving the young detective's thoughts, the crime proceeded through the opening of the vault after the private conversation. They recklessly searched, throwing papers, money, laptops, locked boxes, and everything there is out onto the pristine office.

After another talk with their outside aid, the men left the way they entered, empty handed.

Barbara closed the window with a key. She had tried to track their com signal or their hacker, despite the effort being pointless. There's nothing to hold on to but the ghosts of decrepited codes and firewalls. She'd only be able to trace it if the crime is in progress.

That as well, may be a fruitless hope given that there's no unusual robbery activity lately.

"I've got nothing," she admitted to the presence that entered the room, "Their hacker is clearly an amateur. Leaves a mess wherever he goes. But he hacks...smoothly, if that even makes sense. It's like he's already gone through all the software before."

"Has the computer genius finally found her match?"

Barbara immediately straightened at the voice, feeling her heart skip too much beats. "You're...you're back. Since when?" She desperately wanted to spin the chair around and faced the ebony but the flares of anger kept her in place.

"Just now."

"Does anyone else know you're here?"

"You're the first to know. Although I'm think, Alfred already knew before I even sneaked in the library window." There was a light smile on his voice.

"Where've you been?" Barbara struggled to keep her voice calm.

"Northern Europe. Trying to figure out a mystery that left no clues to follow." His voice grew closer with his sound of his footsteps - clearly done intentionally. "Babs, I'm sorry for being such a jackass these past few weeks. I've gotten _all _the messages. Yours were, well, expected, but I just couldn't face anyone who wears spandex and capes just yet. It wasn't until Ti-"

A familiar beat interrupted their conversation. Barbara was being called in to the Watchtower.

There were no temporary goodbyes exchanged between the two, only receding footsteps, rising from the chair, sliding of a door, and a silent agreement.

* * *

><p>|Watchtower<br>June 27

"What's going on?" Batgirl asked the Team with Black Canary, gathered around a of them looked at the she-bat with tight faces.

Bart had the most pained of Barbara had joined their circle, BC played the clip. It began with a bright blur of black amidst a white background. "This was sent just this afternoon," the Leaguer explained.

"Greetings heroes," a low, gritty, unfamiliar voice went on, without any sincerity, "Firstly, do not attempt to trace the source of this video. It is a pointless task. Secondly, I have no intention of ever revealing who I am. And no medium nor person can ever figure out my identity, trust me on that.

"Now, onto business. You may have noticed the streak of unusual break ins lately. Yes, I am quite proud to admit that that is of my supervision. I would like to let you know that I'm not planning to stop these...crimes, until my search is done. For what, that is none of your heroic business.

"To clarify, this isn't just a message, telling you of my evil plans like some cliche villain. This is a _threat_. I've had firsthand experiences on those and I'm not going to let you heroes overlook me, and so..." The video switched into a close up of a young, sickly girl with ebony hair and eyes a bright blue green. Barbara soundlessly gasp as her identity clicked.

"...if you may or may not know," a voiceover continued, "this is Jamie Grayson. Just ask your resident time traveler, he can attest to that."Suddenly a sleek pistol was pointed on the girl's temple, forcing tears out of her already wet eyes.

"Believe me, I will not hesistate to kill little Jamie if any of you stop me, track me, or try and catch me. We all know she, and her big sister, aren't from this timeline. I wonder what future consequences can _both_their deaths bring." The focus returned to the silhouette holding the gun. "Keep this in mind, get in my way, and this time, the bullets _will_pass through their brains. I'll make sure of it."

Then darkness.


	9. Me and Me

|Watchtower  
>June 27<p>

Barbara's heart lept when they've agreed to transfer Mary into the Watchtower's state of the art infirmary.

Kaldur didn't let her join the mission, most likely because of her current emotional instability. Robin, on the other hand, took it as an opportunity.

He silently approached the silent girl. She was staring at the rotating green and blue orb through the large windows.

"Grayson," Barbara began. Her voice sliced through the stale air. "He said Jamie _Grayson_."

Tim searched for his voice. "Barbara-"

"Since when? Since when did you found out?"

Against Babs' fury, he knew he had no chance. "When we tested if you're the mother. Bats took the next step and crossmatched Mary's genetics through gene archives. It was a quick search and a perfect match."

"You told him, didn't you?" It wasn't a question. _So __that's __why __he's __suddenly __back. _"When were you planning to tell me?"

"Batman wanted to wait, but I was just about to call you before all this. I'm sorry you had to know that way. I'm really sorry, Babs."

After a minute of silence, the red head sighed. "I know."

Robin moved forward to stand beside her. "Any idea who he is?"

"Nothing. I've already done a quiet trace. Signal's dead. Cross examination of details from the video revealed nothing. All I know is that he's got a weak right grip and he's using a voice changer. May not even be a man."

Barbara's observations matched Tim's and they both new they're stuck. All he could do is offer some support, "We're gonna find her, Babs. We're gonna find her and fix all this."

The older could only hope.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, the Zeta beam announced the return of the other heroes, breaking the silence in the air. Batgirl and Tim quickly moved about, catching them heading to the infirmary.<p>

A gurney was between the Alpha team and in it laid Mary, still unconscious, along with her machines. Aqualad pulled Batgirl aside on the way in, while Robin and KF headed inside.

"I know you are preoccupied with Mary. I would also want you to know that we _will _find the sister, Jamie, and they both will be safe and sound until we could send them back to the future," Aqualad said.

Batgirl turned her attention to the Team leader. "I trust that you will."

After some phone calls, Barbara and Bart were allowed to stay over. Religiously, they kept Mary company with Bart occasionally sharing details about the Mary he knew.

Sleep, eventually, overtook them.

* * *

><p>|Russia<br>June 27

Barbara woke up disoriented and with a coughing fit. She remained still for a moment, taking in her surroundings as much as she can.

Dark and dank. Air's humid, making the floor rough and cool. _Still __alive __and __in __Russia_, Barbara concluded, as she stood up, a rusting torn down sign caught her eye. She translated the text, _Storage __Warehouse __8. _

Barbara's eyes widened at a realization, _This __is __exactly __where __the __safe __house __is! But then, where __is __it? _She looked down at herself. The red head's hair remained quite unkempt and she's still in her sweatshirt, tank top, and sweatpants. Barefooted. No gadgets or weapons. No tracker or distress signal.

She walked around, feeling the walls as every step made the world shake. A few times, Barbara stumbled at the sudden lost of feeling in her legs and once, she puked the contents of her late dinner.

Eventually, she found herself at the first level, where their collection of computers and other gadgetry should be. Instead, broken and forgotten pieces of plywood littered the floor. She took a few deep breaths; her attempt to calm herself.

Just then a small black ball was thrown at the center of the room, immediately filling the room with thick gray gas.

Years of training and adrenaline took over Barbara's exhausted body. She ran to the next, smaller room that was supposed to be the actualstorage space. Before the gas could seep in through the uneven edge of the door, she cracked the spider webbed window and jimmied herself out onto the street, carrying a long pipe as her only instrument for protection. She fell to her knees on the rough road, trying to gather the strength to stand.

Footsteps crunched the stones of the ground. Barbara looked up and saw a black clad figure emerge from the darkness. Refusing to surrender, she shakily got to her feet using the pipe and slipped into a fighting stance.

She could imagine the cocky smile on the figure's masked face about their fight that consisted of half hearted jabs and slow dodges from Barbara and smooth yet assertive attacks from the figure. The red head already fell a couple of times but she wasn't one to give in until her last breath.

It was when the attacker revealed a sharp edged knife that her body seemed to fail her even more. All Barbara was able to do was weakly block the oncoming blade with the pipe before a different one sliced her in the stomach.

At that instant, her body and mind gave way to the pain and the pipe clanged on the ground and she fell to the support of the wall, as the figure stepped back, seemingly satisfied.

Barbara was about to let the peaceful darkness in, when a yellow and red blur knocked the attacker back into the shadows. The speedster pursued, only to find, nothing and no one at all. Serious and cautious, the hero returned to Barbara, who was half leaning on the wall and half clutching her bleeding side.

A light appeared from the distance and only when she looked up, did Bart realize who it was. For the second time, he froze and even Barbara's brows furrowed in confusion.

Hurried footfalls neared them, bringing the bright light, that Barbara squinted from its glow. Holding it with a tight grip, Batgirl saw what she never expected in a million years.

"Shit," both of them muttered.

* * *

><p><strong>You know when you've got the whole idea in your head and you're excited to write it down and share it but the words won't form sentences and fragments won't form a story? Yeah. That's what's happening.<strong>

**Some reviews would be nice. :)**


	10. A Visit

**I am alive. Surprise. And I finally have the time to continue this. *virtual confetti***

**This chapter, without a doubt, is a filler. Great comeback, I know, but I've written multiple drafts of post-"Me and Me" and I have yet to decide which to go with. So for now, here you go. **

**To clarify, it's set 2 hours before the events of Barbara meeting Barbara. **

| Watchtower ICU  
>June 27<br>2 HOURS EARLIER

He didn't know what to expect when he stepped into her room. Okay, fine, Dick half expected her to be awake and sitting up, which of course, was merely an expectation. The little red headed girl – uncharacteristically small for her budding age – was unconscious underneath immaculately kept sheets and tubes and wires keeping her alive. At least, their first meeting wouldn't be as awkward.

Dick stood at the foot of the bed of his future child. At first glance, someone could easily connect mother to daughter. Looking further, he couldn't help but see him as well – the shape of her face, the pinch on her nose. Hell, he had a feeling she got the height problem from him.

The young man found himself smiling for the first time in a long time.

_Mary_. He knew exactly where that came from.

Suddenly, wind blew the frays of his leather jacket and the ends of his barely kempt hair. He instinctively stiffened at the newcomer's presence, pushing up his lowered sunglasses.

"Nightwing, you're back." Bart sounded as surprised as he looked. The speedster was carrying a tray full of sandwiches and a large Coke and set it down on the chair by the bed.

The older neither confirmed nor denied it. "Robin…Tim, did tell me that you stay here more than often. You knew her?"

"Sort of. In a different world," Bart replied, looking unusually solemn.

Dick had hacked the League database before heading to the ICU and he ruefully saw the video. He has another daughter, held hostage and in pain. "The League and the Team will find Jamie, I'm sure of it." Much to his dismay, Dick doubted his own words and could only hope Bart doesn't. In that moment, he felt himself slipping on a familiar mask, that of a hero, of a team leader, offering assurances and empty promises. Keeping secrets.

"Will you be –," Kaldur's voice over the audio system cut the speedster off and both heroes looked up in surprise.

"Requesting available Team members, we have a mission," was the simple message.

"Hey, Nightwing," Bart turned to the person behind him. Of course, he's no longer there.


	11. Confined

Barbara was only a decade and a few years older than her present counterpart but the traces of time and age were visible. Her features were sharp and refined. In the spot light, you could see her wary green eyes, the definition in her muscles, the small scars that littered her arms, and of course, the blood painting her fingers.

All the red sent warning signals in Batgirl's head and she unfroze, running to the other's aid. She felt Barbara's hesitant but eventually conceded to the help.

"Kid Flash," the she-bat called to her fellow hero, snapping him out of shock, "Call for Miss M. and the Bioship. Now."

| Medical Area, Bioship – Airborne

Destination: Watchtower

June 27

Before both Barbaras could even utter something stronger (and maybe even in another language), the future redhead was immediately catered to the safety of the Bioship and her medical area.

It was M'gann who asked to allow inspection of the knife wound, while the present Barbara busied herself with the ship's controls.

"I can manage myself just fine," was the time traveler's response, hiding well the flinches from pain and the slow, ragged breaths.

However, through the years, M'gann became a veteran of Bats' selfish tendencies when it comes to medical aid. Especially with this twisted situation. "I know why you don't trust me right now but you have to understand what I'm seeing, and that is you, fatigued and exhausted…and bleeding all over the floor. So let me help before you pass out trying to reach the gauze."

Swallowing hard, future Barbara settled at the edge of the Bioship's built-in examination table.

Grateful, the Martian quickly went to work, calling the necessary materials with her telekinesis. There was only the sound of stretching of surgical gloves and ripping of plastic as time traveler examined every nook and cranny in the room. It was a replica of the medical area in the Bioship that she knew all too well, which includes the passageway that sees a portion of the deck.

Just as M'gann was finishing the final wrap of gauze around the other's well-toned and well-scarred stomach, she hesitantly began, "Um, Batgirl, this—"

"Don't," the older sharply interrupted. Quickly realizing the slip, she quickly amended, "Don't call me Batgirl. It…may get confusing."

"Then…what do you want to be called?"

The time traveler calculated the dangers – They do have a Batgirl. Seeing this M'gann's actions and reactions, the secret identity is clearly out. – then finally replied, "Barbara will do fine."

The Martian removed the blood-stained surgical gloves and they floated into the disposable bin. "Alright, um, Barbara, I can only put on some cleaning medication and gauze to stop the bleeding. I'll leave the stitches to…the doctors. Thankfully, it was just a flesh wound." M'gann offered a small smile but it doesn't reach her ears. Something's up, Barbara concluded. "I'll give some painkillers? That must be burning right about now."

As the alien said, it felt like laser cutting through skin, with the addition of oncoming nausea, but Barbara knows she can't risk the drowsiness that'll come from the amount of painkillers she'll need. She kept her face passive. "No thanks."

"If you say so." M'gann stretched a few seconds – _We're ready for space, Batgirl._ – before continuing, "We'll be heading into the atmosphere in a while. I'll strap you in." On cue, the examination table morphed into a chair and carefully placed the crossed seatbelts over Barbara. "I'll be just outside."

Before the Martian could leave for the deck, Barbara voiced out her hypothesis, "What year is it?"

| Medical Bay, Watchtower  
>June 28<p>

The last thing the older Barbara wanted to do is to go in and out of consciousness at a situation like this. But rest is all her body ached for. When the Bioship arrived in the Watchtower "garage, she was immediately brought into the infirmary. The effects of whatever unknown drug was becoming even more assertive that she could barely lift her head.

"We took a blood sample in order to figure out what's causing her extreme nausea. It seems to be a variation of chloroform, Succinycholine, a paralyzing drug, and another unfamiliar factor. I'll leave that to Batman," the head surgeon relayed to the four heroes and a few available Leaguers after two to three hours of nothing, "We tried an antidote to flush it out of her system and so far, it's been successful."

"How about...her stab wound?" Batgirl asked.

"They are currently patching it up. We, however, can't risk giving her some anesthetic because it can counter the antidote. She is lucky it is just a flesh wound. No surgery required."

"So she's awake and responsive right now. Can...we see her?"

| Medical Bay, Watchtower  
>June 28<p>

The worse feeling of all, Barbara believed, was waking up thinking that what had happened was just a dream. Of course, the sharp sting in her stomach reminded her that it wasn't.

After two hours of gagging and half an hour of sewing her skin shut, the doctor finally injected some morphine into her system. She savored the numbness despite the slight fear of wariness lingering at the back of her head.

"How're you feeling?" a nurse entered.

Barbara adjusted her position on the bed. They had offered her a loose sweater when she refused to be half naked under a hospital gown. "Better."

"The chemical is entirely canceled out on your system. But if you feel any kind of nausea or pain, don't hesitate to call." The nurse double checked the IV and morphine bag.

"I'll keep that in mind. What time is it?"

"About 5 in the morning. A light breakfast will be coming up in an hour. You basically emptied your stomach. I'm sure you're hungry."

"I don't really feel like eating. When's my interrogation?"

"In a while." The nurse finished off her routine check. "Batman will have a word with you here. Since standing is not advised for you at the moment."

Minutes after the nurse left, Barbara's interrogation finally took place with the Dark Knight waltzing in, followed by Batgirl.

The time traveler stared the 2 Bats down. "So, any idea who brought me here or how I could get back to my own time?"


End file.
